


Idolwild Village Drabbles

by imifumei



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment, KAT-TUN (Band), Kanjani8 (Band), NewS (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24577048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imifumei/pseuds/imifumei
Summary: AU in which basically all the groups I like are represented doing non-idol-type work (nothing ever came of it).
Kudos: 2





	Idolwild Village Drabbles

Originally posted to LiveJournal, 07 October 2009

I'm reposting these from . The challenge was AU so I used it as a springboard for this epic AU I have had percolating in the back of my brain. I've been thinking about it for a long time but I don't have any particular plot line so I thought it would be best to present it as a loose series of drabbles all occurring in one universe. 

I will try to keep them in a relatively linear timeline when I post them, that is, each individual post containing drabbles set in this universe won't have things that occur out of order, but I make no promises about writing them in order time-wise. Does that make sense? I hope so.

**Title:** Idolwild Village Vignettes  
 **Word Count:** 100 x 21  
 **Characters:** In this set, Ikuta Toma, NewS, Kanjani 8, Arashi, some of KAT-TUN, allusions to Kisumai   
**Author's Notes:** So I am working out this AU in which basically all the groups I like are represented doing non-idol-type work. The plan is to use a few sets of closely-timed drabbles to flesh out the universe, then I should be able to just write in drabbles and stick them into wherever in the timeline at a whim.

(Re: the title; not too far from where I grew up, there is an amusement park called Idlewild Park and several villages around the area use the name. As this entire AU takes place centered around the inhabitants of one neighborhood, I couldn't pass up the pun.)

**Koyama's Department**

Koyama loved running the human interest section of LocaL NewS WeeeeklY. He was good at it and he loved writing, but as readership increased, the paper's CEO wanted more human interest stories and one man wasn't enough for the job. Finally, Koyama went to the editor.

"Yamashita-san, I know the higher-ups want more from my department but I just can't do it myself."

"I know a freelancer who might be interested in some work. Do you have a lead you could put him on?"

"Sure."

_Excellent_ , Koyama thought. Their paper definitely needed a fresh voice.

He went to tell Ryo.

**Ryo-chan's Permission**

Koyama found the Front Page editor at his desk, buried shoulders-deep in paper.

"Bad time?"

"Nah, come in, what's up?"

"Yamashita's hiring a freelancer to work in my department. Toma?"

"Yeah, I know him. You okay with that?"

"Are you kidding? I'm dying for the help. I just can't run my department by myself, Ryo-chan."

"Of course you can."

"Well, anyway, I'd like to turn over the Kanjani Shopping Street story to him, is that okay?"

"It's your department"

"Yeah, but they're your friends."

"They'll kill him."

"Remember what you told me when we started? 'Trial by fire is best.'"

**Ikuta's Assignment**

Freelance work is harder. You don't have anyone to back you up. If you screw up, there's no one there to help, no one there to blame, but also no one else to share the limelight when you do really well.   
Ikuta Toma wouldn't have given it up for the world. He loved writing more than anything and it didn't matter that even when he did get published, almost no one read his work.   
But this time, people would read. He was writing a human interest story about a bunch of Osakans running the fastest growing shopping district in Tokyo.

**Nishikido's Warning**

Koyama tells me I should ask you about these guys before I go interview them? Toma looked expectantly at Ryo, looking for some kind of insight as to why he was supposed to be asking Ryo about them.

"Oh, yeah, I know them from way back."

"Good people?"

"Great, but you won't be able to interview them."

"Why's that?"

"You'll see."

"Are they hostile?"

Ryo regarded him like he'd regard a crazy person. "No."

"Then why?"

"The have a way of . . . distracting people. You'll see."

"But nice guys?"

"Yeah. They'll treat you like family."

Toma was looking forward to it.

**Yasuda's Distractions**

The boutique's shopkeeper was lively, energetic, and smiled brighter than most people the reporter had ever met.

"So you don't specialize?"

"Of course I do! I specialize in fun things! Bright colors, cheerful prints, mix-and-match stuff that's fun to wear."

"But not just men's or just women's?"

"No! What fun would that be? There is no difference. I believe anyone should be allowed to wear whatever they want. No restrictions."

"That's a refreshing policy, Yasuda-san."

"Someday, Ikuta-san, it'll be the only policy. Have we finished the interview? Because I have some things you _really_ need to try on."

**Shibutani's Song**

The shopkeeper in the music store was far more subdued than the boutique's manager but equally warm, if a little quiet. He seemed much more at home behind a guitar serenading the reporter in lieu of answering very many interview questions; but the reporter thought that he got a much better idea of the shopkeeper's point-of-view from listening to his music than he would have from just talking so he didn't mind. Still, he needed to ask.

"Shibutani-san, what do you think makes this shopping street so successful?"

"I don't know. We just sing it from the heart, I guess."

**Maruyama's Opinions**

". . .It's very important, don't you think? No house really feels like a home without a tatami room. How can you call yourself Japanese if you don't have one?"

"No, you're totally right." Ikuta Toma had spent the last hour and half chuckling at Maruyama-san's jokes and stories and being entertained by the shopkeeper's vehement opinions on home decorating. Shibutani-san from the music store had accompanied him to the home goods shop. Between the two of them, they had Toma in stitches. It wasn't at all difficult to see why shoppers loved to spend their time and money in these stores.

**Murakami's Salesmanship**

Ryo was right, the reporter thought as the bookseller swatted him over the head for asking too forward a question, these guys treated everyone like family. Toma laughed it off and finished his interview, questioning the smiling store owner about demographics and bestsellers.   
Their conversation was free and easy. 

"You cook, Ikuta-san? I have some great cookbooks." 

Free and easy, and ever the salesman. 

He wasn't surprised when Murakami-san invited him out for a drink and yakitori and since the owners of the standing bar and the yakitori stand were his next two interviews, he didn't turn him down either. 

**Yokoyama's Beer(s)**

Well into several glasses of beer, the reporter realized that he was failing to interview the bar owner just as surely as he was failing to hold his liquor. He was not, however, failing to have a great time.  
He wanted to praise these guys for their ability to put people at ease; but if it came out sounding a lot like a garbled "I love you guys," he was sure it was entirely the fault of the bar owner, Yokoyama-san, who kept pouring him beers and calling him 'kid' like Toma was his little brother. He'd definitely be back.

**Ohkura's Snark**

The reporter vaguely recalled being led across the street from the bar to a yakitori stand and being served the best chicken he'd ever eaten by a sleepy-looking young man with a beatific smile.

He remembered being confused about the source of the snarky remarks he heard because whenever he looked at the cook he had that same smile on but he was sure that it wasn't Murakami-san who was sitting next to him, chuckling. He had the sense he was being laughed at but it didn't feel malicious.

He wondered where his day went. Had he done _any_ interviewing?

**Toma's Story**

Maybe those Kanjani guys weren't easy to interview, but Toma still came away from the experience with a damn good idea of what made them so successful. It was easy to drum up repeat business when you treated everyone like family. 

He wrote his piece for LocaL NewS WeeeeklY. It ended up being all about the importance of family and getting back to Japan's roots with mom-and-pop-type businesses. When he handed it in, he got a warm smile, a pat on the back, and an 'attaboy'. He loved the freedom of freelancing, but damn, he missed being on a team. 

**Sakurai's Lesson**

Leaning against the standing bar in _YOU no Kimi no_ , the Business section editor downed the dregs of his mixed drink while Sakurai droned on about 'market fluctuations'. 

Setting the empty glass on the counter, he interrupted, "Sho, Sho, hold up. Explain to me again how a Keio economics graduate ends up teaching a high school Civics class and then we'll go back to the lesson in, what was it? Dividends?"

"I have told you a thousand times, Shige. I _genuinely enjoy teaching_. Now, as I was saying, market fluctuations indicate. . ."

Shige ordered another drink and tried to pay attention.

**Koyama's Dream**

Koyama didn't let Shige see him making eyes at the bartender. He'd only make fun.

"That freelancer was in earlier today," Yokoyama said conversationally.

"You could have been more helpful," Koyama laughed.

"We showed him a good time. He'll write a good story. You don't mind a noob in your department?"

"No. More help means better stories, means more attention. . .for the department of course."

"Still hoping to succeed Kokubun at TOKIO Daily?"

"Can you imagine it? Me? On a city-wide paper?"

"If anyone could do it, Koyama, you could."

Yokoyama poured Shige another while Koyama hid his flattered blush.

**Aiba's Commute**

On his way to the school, Aiba tuned the radio to KTTN and and chuckled at the morning radio hosts.

They did all their own sound effects and had copious amounts of bad manzai skits between songs but the best times were when they were interviewing guests on. One got hilariously flustered and the other, who was from Aiba's hometown, couldn't manage to ask any of the right questions. 

He couldn't help but think they would be fun to hang out with.

They were friends of friends, maybe Aiba could get introduced to them. Meeting radio personalities would be cool.

**Jin's Lunch**

The radio host eyed his friend coolly. "I don't believe you."

"I promise you," Ohkura assured him, "I don't have buns to serve them on if I _did_ have the beef to make burgers. Which, for the last time, Jin, I _don't_. This is a yakitori restaurant. Last time I checked, beef didn't come from chickens. I'm pretty sure even _you_ know that." He swatted Jin over the head with a towel.

"Yeah, okay." Jin moved to get up off of his stool.

"And don't think you're going down to Big Boy and bringing back other food into my restaurant."

**Jun's Concoctions**

The language teacher leaned in the door to the lab room and called to Jun who was behind the lab bench mixing up yet another solution and grooving to the music the energetic lunch time radio DJ was playing.

"How's it going?"

"I think I almost have it right. Come smell this."

"It's blue." Nino complained.

"Blue is not a smell, come on, humour me."

"Jun, that's all we ever do. Only you would use a chemistry degree and access to the school's equipment to make your own cologne."

"Maybe, but I'm the best smelling Chem. Professor on the planet."

**The Evening's Entertainment**

Jun turned a skeptical brow on the PE teacher. "Is Sho coming?"

"No, he said he had to meet Shige for drinks." Ohno explained.

"It was Aiba's idea." Nino interjected. 

Aiba had heard about it from his friend, the bartender. The kids sometimes ate in Ohkura's place and the older ones occasionally drank at _YOU no Kimi no_.

"They're hot and it's supposed to be lots of fun to watch." Ohno added.

"Yeah, but roller derby? I mean, is that even legal as a sport?"

Nino snickered, "Just barely legal."

Jun got the feeling he wasn't talking about the sport.

**Jin's Dinner**

Jin and his companion were making obscene noises across the sound panel.

"God, if you're going to make that much noise, take it out of the booth, please." Kame complained.

"You're just jealous Pi didn't bring you any pizza. I didn't get lunch, you know."

Jin made a face when Pi handed Kame a slice of pepperoni-and-mushroom. Kame sent out their call letters and started the next track before pulling his headphones off and tucking in with a smirk.

Jin stuck out his tongue.

"Don't be so selfish, Jin." Pi admonished.

"See if I let you in the booth again."

**Tegoshi's Department**

"Hi, Ohno-san!" the sports reporter waved enthusiastically and called over the roaring crowd.

"Hi Tegoshi. Covering the event?"

"Yeah. Roller Derby is a new sport in Japan, so I got permission to run a full page special article in my section."

"Sounds interesting."

"Who are your friends? Other teachers from your school?"

"Yes, Matsumoto and Ninomiya. You've met Aiba. Tegoshi plays soccer with Sho and reports sports for the NewS."

Tegoshi nodded and smiled a greeting. Jun was glad he'd come because Tegoshi was able to explain the rules of this chaos that Jun was hesitant to call a 'sport'.

**Aiba's Acquaintance**

The level of excitement was high. Jun had to admit he was having a pretty good time. Aiba was jumping up and down next to him pointing and shouting.

"Hey I know that guy! That one there, in the orange helmet!"

"The one with a Y on his jacket?" Nino asked.

"Yep! He's a friend of Koyama's, from the paper. Koyama introduced us. He was quiet, I'm surprised he's in such a flashy profession."

"He's good at it." Jun admired the way all the skaters moved in sync. "They're all great."

Ohno smiled blithely, "Aren't you glad you came, Jun-kun?"

**Jun's Commute**

The derby ran late and Jun was glad to catch the last train. He settled in for the commute with his earphones in and his phone running an internet feed of the local radio station.

The late night radio DJ's sweet voice crooned softly into his ear and Jun heaved a sigh, letting the tension drain from his shoulders in the empty train car.

This time of night was special to Jun, and he loved few things as much as letting the gentle sway of the coach and lilt of Ueda's voice lull him until he got to his stop.


End file.
